Do you know that reading a book for 6 minutes will reduce 60% of stress and alter our state of mind? As soon as you say you are a reader, the immediate question you get is: ‘What do you read? Fiction or nonfiction?’ Many people tend to say reading fiction is a waste of time and you get nothing from it. Let us now favor fictional readers by letting them know the benefits of fictional reading.
Let us see why people would love to read fiction.
1. Temporary Escape From Reality
Reading fiction helps a person leave his world and step into others. Sometimes, people also escape from their thoughts and start reading a book. So, fiction is a way to escape.
2. Companionship
Honesty and vulnerability connect readers when they are alone. When people tend to spend their time alone at home or at their working place to get out of the mundane routine, they read a book. Books tell people that they are unique and help them understand better.
3. To Gain Perspective
When a person reads historical fiction, he will know how wars could impact our lives or they will get to know what kind of world they live in. When a person gets to know the perspective, he will be more conscious. Fiction helps to broaden perspectives and horizons.
4. Entertainment
People read fiction as they find it fun, interesting, and relaxing. Few may get emotional while reading fiction. A person can vicariously live through another character. You can be an alien, a warrior, a dragon or any character you would love to be. Yeah! People read to get entertained.
Let us dive into the benefits now.
A. Strengthens Problem Solving
One study says reading Harry Potter can make a person more inclusive, tolerant and open-minded. There’s no doubt that books can open your mind. Our brain reacts in the same way when we read fiction as if we are going through the same experience. Our brains try to fill in the gaps. Watch this video to get to know how books open your mind.
This is very important for our problem-solving skills in personal and professional life. We explore and discover a solution to a problem. Readers can also find an alternative solution for the problem which is more effective and practical.
B. Memory and Mental Stimulation
Stories are one of the best ways to convert information into long term memory. Reading fiction helps us to improve memory. Your brain like any other muscle, the more you exercise, the more it works healthily. That is why it is said, ‘Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body’. While you read fiction you also visualize characters automatically which helps you encode information to long term memory.
C. Improves Empathy and Emotional Intelligence
Reading fiction helps you to live inside the experience of another person. Putting yourself in a fictional character helps you to know people in real life better. Fiction helps you to navigate through the relationship waters with proper exercise (while reading). Here is a scientific study to back up this point.
D. Improves Brain Connectivity
Researchers found that becoming engrossed in a novel improves connectivity in the brain and enhances brain function. The changes caused by reading a novel are registered in the left temporal cortex, an area of the brain associated with receptivity for language, as well as the primary sensory motor of the brain. Neurons of this region are associated with thinking which embodies cognition which is almost similar to visualization in sports. This improves theory of mind and helps to be more compassionate.
E. Vocabulary
Vocabulary helps us to express ourselves and connect with others. With rich vocabulary, you can understand what others are trying to tell easily. Fiction readers are said to have significantly more vocabulary. One who reads a lot can gain four words per day on an average.
F. Reduce Stress
Our brain doesn’t work actively all the time. We would definitely need hours of disengagement or distraction. Reading can bring health benefits of deep relaxation and inner calm. Regular fiction readers can sleep better; have less stress levels, higher self-esteem, and low rate of depression. Read this article to know how fiction reading helps in reducing stress.
Next time, when someone says fictional reading is a waste of time, these points will get your back. Reading nonfiction books is absolutely fine. Go for your favorite genre and enjoy reading. Make reading a book a part of your life and get a good friend who would always be there for you.
Written By - Sravanthi Cheerladinne
Edited By - Kashish Chadha
.jpeg)
0 Comments